Nothing is what it seems
by NDebN
Summary: Duo is the Joker according to everybody's believe, Zechs sees beyond that facade, but knows that they both have secrets that are not easily told. Because nothing is what it seems… warnings: AU, unintended oc, probably, maybe .
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **Not mine T_T**  
Rating: **K (atm but it will change as the story goes deeper)**  
Pairings: **6x2(main pairing), 4xH, others undecided as of yet (v.o)**  
Summary: **Duo is the Joker according to everybody's believe, Zechs sees beyond that facade, but knows that they both have secrets that are not easily told. Because nothing is what it seems… warnings: unintended oc, probably, maybe.

**Authors note: **Okay this story developed after I ran out of good Yaoi Manga to read and after I ran out of good 6x2, because after I read them a few times I know them by heart. And also I blame all the songs that have the word "Don't" in the title in my music collection, they have guided me through this first chapter making me almost unable to stop the chapter T_T. Okay one last thing before I let you read the story, please don't forget to read the Authors notes after the chapter especially when you are a writer yourself (v.o).

**Talking: **"Blablabla"**  
Thinking: **'Blablabla'

**Nothing is what it seems - Chapter 1**

Everybody always is under the impression that I am the party guy and that I don't do anything else than to crack jokes. People don't get me at all, but still I'm wondering why I'm in a situation like this at this very moment. Well let me explain my situation, uhm where to begin.

I'm at a gõkon at this very moment, my best friend is next to me and there's Shane a mutual friend of ours. Do you actually know what a gõkon is? Well to put it simple, it's a group date. So we are at this gõkon together, the girls are nice enough, in all honestly I'm gay anyway so I have no interest in them. But I made one joke and now those girls are expecting that every line that comes out of my mouth, okay truth be told I told a few jokes. I may run and hide but I never tell a lie. But that the girls are expecting me to make jokes isn't the thing that is unnerving, it's unnerving because my best buddy is glaring at me, he knows I'm gay by the way. He likes the middle girl who is paying more attention to me than to him and I can tell he is pissed. Off all the luck in the world I have to have her fawning over me. Heero can have her, Relena Peacecraft, her name alone makes me wanna hurl. Why do you ask? Well that's a very good question, and I can't quite put my finger on it, but I just don't like her and I think she's faking her interest in me to make Heero jealous. Which is obviously working.

If I can make it I'll escape in a few, I still have an assignment to finish. Who would have thought university was this hard. I do know I will like my assignments, those will be much more interesting then this bunch. Oh why can't I just say no to Heero, oh I know already it's because he's my best friend. But I thought friends knew each other, then he would have known I hate gõkons. Stop glaring you idiot she's all yours. Normal people would jump in the air because of such a glare, but I've been too much on the receiving end of his glares to be affected by them, the idiot. Well I, Duo Maxwell, am an idiot for agreeing to this stupid thing in the first place.

"Sorry guys I have to go." Duo got up from his chair.

"Aww Duo you really have to go?" Relena smiles.

"Yeah I'm sorry Princess, I've have a date with my book." Duo winks at the girls and they all laugh. Relena turns red at the Princess name, her father and brother always called her that.

"Funny joke Duo." Says one of the girls, then the other asks, "So what are you going to do?"

'It wasn't a joke idiot, hm well that's only to be expected.' "S-E-C-R-E-T and I can't let you keep the funny Duo all to yourselves." Duo winks and leaves it at that.

"Aww tell us Duo." Squeals one of the girls.

" Bye Ladies, see ya." With that Duo walks of.

'So finally I'm free, in about ten minutes I can fully concentrate on my literature assignment. Yeah what a joke right? The Joker studying literature, well I like reading and everything that has to do with it, but I think it's one of the best kept secrets in the world. Normal people assume I can't sit still or stay silent long enough to read anything. Almost home.' Duo lived in a two room apartment, he assumed the other apartments in his building were bigger since most of them had been remodeled about a year back. Lucky that Duo was on good terms with the landlord who had let him keep his two room apartment. Well in this city it was hard to find something this cheap anyway, so Duo was quite happy with his apartment.

"Ah it's good to be home." Duo said as he kicked off his shoes. Duo get's a book from the kitchen sink and walks through the kitchen to his living room, well his apartment actually if you looked at it right, had three rooms entrance was in the kitchen, which was an open kitchen and then the living room, where he also mostly did his eating and then in the back his bedroom with balcony. He flopped himself on the couch and started reading.

"Now comes the good part." Told Duo himself as he flipped a page.

"Aww Zechs don't be like this, we can talk about it." Suddenly a female voice sounded pretty hard from outside.

"Please believe me, it didn't meant anything." Duo sighed, he had never seen his neighbor before but this wasn't a good first impression.

"Come on let me in. ZECHS!" Duo had it for today with the women specie. He put his book down and walked to the door.

"ZECHS I'm the best thing you ever had, let me in don't be so stubborn." The woman yelled as Duo opened the front door.

"I doubt you are the best he's had." Snorted Duo as he looked at the woman who was yelling, "Would you please refrain from yelling at this time of the evening, there are more people here in the building if you hadn't noticed." With that Duo closed the door again. The woman outside let a last sound of frustration escape from her mouth and then she stomped away.

"Good now I can get some reading done." He said to himself as she walked back to the living room, just as he picked up his book the door bell rang. "What is it this time, oh god you must not want me to complete this assignment." Duo sighed in desperation.

"Yeah, who is it?" said Duo as he walked to the front door.

"Zechs Merquise, your neighbor." The voice said, Duo thought the voice had a pleasant ring to it.

"Ah k, on my way." Said Duo and he opened the door. "Howdy neighbor, what can I do for you?" Duo looked into the most blue eyes he had ever seen. 'OMG.' Duo mentally screamed, 'If Zeus had a son this would probably be closest to it.'

"Ah well, this is going to sound stupid, but thank you." The man said.

"No problem." Duo said, "I already was in a bad mood, but she was very helpful in removing my bad mood." Grinned Duo.

"That's good then I guess." The man smiled slightly.

'Jesus, this guy must have lots and lots of girlfriends.' Duo looked at the guy from top to toe. Duo didn't even know where to start if he ever had to describe his neighbor. Duo estimated his height to be around 185 centimeters, and he was pretty accurate at it too. Duo himself wasn't that big, he barely reached 170 centimeters.

"You want something to drink?" asked Duo out of nothing.

Zechs seemed to think about it for a moment, but seemed no reason to say no. "Weren't you busy with something." He asked pointing at the book in Duo's hand.

"Yeah, but it's okay I'll survive, lemme introduce myself, Duo Maxwell." Said Duo as he put out his hand.

"Zechs Merquise, and yes I would like something to drink." He said has he shook Duo's hand.

"Good come in then." Duo grinned as he led the way. "Oh would you mind taking of your shoes?"

"You don't look Japanese." Said Zechs as he pulled off his shoes.

"I'm not, but my best friend is and well I like my floor clean, now I don't have to vacuum as much ya know." Duo grinned as he opened the fridge and got out two cans of beer. Zechs nodded understandingly, he himself hated house chores.

"Here catch." Said Duo as he softly threw the beer to Zechs. "I assume you drink beer?"

"Yeah, this is probably just what I needed." Said Zechs more to himself than to Duo.

They both sat down in the living room. Duo on the couch and Zechs sat down on the same style arm chair. Zechs looked around in the living room, it was smaller than his own apartment. His eyes stopped at a small table next to the couch that had a small pile of books on it.

"Have you read those?" Zechs found himself asking.

"Yeah, they were pretty okay." Duo said as he looked at the pile of books. "You read?"

"Yeah sort of." Zechs answered.

"You wanna borrow them?" Duo asked as Zechs his eyes stayed on the pile of books.

"Oh no thank you, I barely have time to read." Zechs said as he pulled his eyes from the books. "I have read one of those books."

"oh which one?" Duo asked enthusiastically.

"The one by Milliardo, what did you think of it?" Zechs asked as he looked at Duo.

"Well he's okay, although lately he has been writing more romance, but it's more portrayed as lust in my eyes then love. Not that it isn't good reading material, but shouldn't love be more about respect, affection, compassion, kindness and wanting to connect with the other person. Instead I feel the main character feels more lust for his girlfriend then it is love, but well it's only the first book of a series, so everything can still change and suddenly feel right." Duo explained, "Oops I'm sorry, when you start about books I really can't shut up."

"No I don't mind, it was actually very refreshing. I never looked at it quite that way." Said Zechs, his words were truly genuine.

"So what do you do actually?" asked Duo.

"I'm finishing my major in Psychology." Said Zechs as he smiled at Duo's startled expression, "Don't worry, people always tend to think we analyze people right away when we meet them."

"I'm sorry, I must have looked lame, right?" said Duo apologetically.

"It's okay, I get it all the time. We are pretty much like normal people." Zechs laughed.

"That's good then, I wouldn't let a abnormal person in my house." Grinned Maxwell, he had to admit that he felt uncomfortable for a moment there, but Zechs had been pretty good about it. "So psychology major right? So that must make you about 24?"

"You are good at guessing." Said Zechs while he drank some beer, "and what do you do?

"Ï'm studying literature." Duo grinned.

"Oh."

"Yeah I know it's not really something that fits me, but I like it." It's what everybody else thinks.

"No that wasn't what I wanted to say, although your appearance does not fit the study, but nothing is really what it seems right?" smiled Zechs.

"Exactly." Grinned Duo.

Duo and Zechs talked quite long about a lot of different subjects. The learned easily that they were very different, but still could easily converse with each other. A few hours had passed before Zechs went back to his apartment.

"Well Zechs if you ever want to have a drink you can stop by anytime you want, if I'm home that is." They both laughed.

"Sure Duo, and if anything you can stop by at my place." Zechs winked at Duo but didn't see Duo turn red because of it since he already had walked out of the door. Duo closed the door and mentally slapped himself, 'What was that?' Duo shrugged it off as he walked back to the living room. For a moment Duo eyed his book, 'Sorry friend, you have to wait till after classes tomorrow.' Duo went to his bedroom and chuckled as he entered, 'Zechs would have thought I was crazy if he had seen this. Duo's bedroom had most of his books. Every wall was a bookcase from the floor till the ceiling. Duo had stopped counting his books a long time ago and still a lot of his books were in the storage of the ground floor. In the middle of the room was his double bed, his bed was a bit higher than you would see normally, but Duo had learned at young age how to use the room he had, and under his bed was his closet, he kept all his clothes there. But for now it was time to sleep, Duo felt he was tired big time and he had early classes. He was sure his alarm clock wouldn't like him in the morning so he gave his alarm clock an early glare.

XxX

"Duo." Duo looked behind him as he heard someone say his name.

"Hey Heero, how was class?" Heero shrugged, "It was okay." Heero was a scholarship student, because of his exceptional skills in basketball. Duo didn't doubt that he would probably become a NBA player.

"How was your class?" Heero asked.

"It was good, we discussed Slaughterhouse five by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. it was quite interesting." Said Duo.

Heero chuckled, "What is it Heero?"

"Nothing, but if others would hear you talk like that they would be surprised. But well why did you disappear last night?" Heero asked.

"I was bored and you know I don't like those things." Duo shrugged.

"Ah."

"And well I didn't think you would mind me leaving anyway." Duo grinned.

"True, but still you didn't have to leave on my account." Said Heero as he walked beside Duo.

"Don't worry about it, and well me leaving did give me something good." Said Duo grinning like a Cheshire cat.

'Something good, what that about?' just when Heero was about to asked they heard someone call them out.

"Hey Quatre, how was economics?" the man was panting from running, the man was blond, but Duo noticed not as blond as Zechs. And he was not even nearly as tall as Zechs.

"Economics was good, but the assistant professor was helping today again, he seriously gives me the creeps." Said Quatre as he shuddered.

"Treize again?" asked Duo.

"Yeah, his looks are intense, those are making chills run up and down my spine."

"How do you mean intense?" wondered Heero.

"Uhm how to explain." Quatre began. "Ever looked at something you wanted to devour completely?"

Heero looked as if he didn't even grasped it slightly.

"You can just better show him." Duo laughed at Quatre's embarrassed reaction at his comment.

"I can't do that." Said Quatre.

"Then I'll do it." Said Duo as he started staring at Heero, but soon his eyes became so intense as if he wanted to swallow Heero entirely. Heero felt a blush creep up to his face.

"You get it now?" Duo grinned again.

"Yes, I understand why that would make you uncomfortable Quatre." Said Heero still feeling the warmth of the blush that slowly disappeared from his face. Heero skills in basketball could equal his nonexistent social skills, till about a few months ago Heero was obsessed only with basketball. But he guessed that Relena had something to do with the fact that Heero had became more socially towards others beside him and Quatre, he wasn't even that socially towards his teammates, and even they noticed a real change in Heero.

"So what are you going to do today Duo?" asked Quatre.

"I have my part-time job, those glasses aren't going to fill themselves." Said Duo laughing.

"Ah yes, and you Heero?" Quatre eyed Heero who seemed lost in his thoughts. When Heero didn't react Quatre called out his name again.

"Hn."

"I asked what you were going to do today?"

"I have practice." Said Heero and he dashed away.

"Okay that was strange." Said Quatre as he watched Heero go, Duo nodded in agreement.

"Well I'll round up Hilde and we will stop by at the café." Quatre said. Quatre had been together with Hilde now for a few years, Duo liked Hilde, she was nice unlike some other women he knew. Although in truth, Quatre and Hilde were an odd couple, but they both loved Duo to pieces and knew about his fascination with books. Both Hilde and Quatre thought that his fascination with books had something to do with his childhood where Duo only seldom spoke about.

"k, then I'm off, see ya later." Said Duo as he walked off.

XxX

"Duo, two coffee for table two."

"Sure thing boss." Said Duo and got two cups of coffee and brought them to table two. "Is there anything else I can get you?" Duo got out his block note and wrote down the order.

"Duo could you do the new table." Asked the woman behind the counter.

"Sure Boss, could prepare this then." Duo said as he handed over the order.

"Good afternoon, what can I get you." Duo said as he pulled out his block note again.

"Duo?" Duo looked up and looked into two very blue eyes.

"Oh hiya Zechs." Smiled Duo.

"Aren't you Quatre's friend?" Duo pulled his eyes of Zechs to look at his companion.

"Oh you are Treize right." Said Duo as he smiled while Treize seemed to study him, Duo felt a little uncomfortable. "Quatre is right you do have an intense look as well as aura around you."

Treize seemed a bit startled by that revelation, while Zechs chuckled.

"Well what can I get you gentlemen?" Asked Duo as he winked at both.

"I would like a coffee, and could you recommend anything that isn't too sweet?" asked Zechs as he eyed the small menu.

"I would suggest the lemon cake, it's very good and not too sweet." Told Duo while he scribbled down one coffee and one lemon cake on his block note.

"Okay then I'll take that."

"I'll take a coffee, and nothing more." Said Treize.

"Okay two coffee and one lemon cake coming up." Said Duo as he walked away.

"Here's the two strawberry shortcakes and give me the next order." Said the female.

"Here it is." Said Duo as he handed over the order.

"Now don't dally to much around the tables of cute guys." Said the female with a chuckle.

"You know me, I just can't resist a cute face, just like yours Sally." He winked at her as Sally just shook her head.

"Duo is really one of a kind." She said to herself.

"Miss can I get a tea." Sally turned around to help another guest, "of course."

The café had been more busy as of late. Mostly students from university she guessed and probably a few that had attended the university when they were younger. She was actually a doctor, but had chosen to run the café after her husband had died a few years ago. She was thirty now and Duo had been working for her, and before for her husband, for almost 3 years. In truth he had worked there before that, but well for legal purposes they said he had been working there for 3 years and that wasn't really a lie, it's more like bending the truth. Sally knew somewhat of Duo's history, but she wasn't one to pry to deep. She wasn't even sure she could deal with his history, she had hardly dealt with her husband's death, much less deal with someone else's loss.

"Here is your order." Said Duo as he put Zechs and Treize their orders in front of them.

"Zechs told me you are a student from the literature department." Said Treize as he started small talk, well it wasn't really small talk if you had ulterior motives.

"Yes I am." Said Duo.

"I thought the name Maxwell sounded familiar, you have attended a few economics classes right?" asked Treize as he carefully watched Duo's reactions.

Duo laughed sheepishly, "Yes I wanted to grasp the economic aspects of a book better, so I asked the professor if I could attend a few classes."

"Ah that's why, well I heard you are at the top of your classes." Said Treize.

"Not sure if I'm at the top of my classes, since I don't really watch how others do it." Said Duo feeling a bit shy of the praise.

"Would you like to write for the school paper?" asked Treize.

"I..What!" Duo looked shocked.

"You don't have to answer right now, just stop by my office somewhere in this week." Said Treize smiling.

Zechs had watched the entire conversation with somewhat mixed feelings, he knew Treize long enough to know he wasn't going to let Duo say no. He felt some sympathy towards Duo who seemed to have become what Treize was most interested in at this moment.

"I will think about it, but now I must attend to our other guests, it was nice to meet you Treize, Zechs I will see you around." Duo stalked off towards a table where two people had just taken place. 'Me write in the school paper? I have never aspired to become a writer.' Duo knew somewhat about the rumors that surrounded Treize, Treize was said to be a playboy and well more things were said, but Duo knew better then to believe the rumors.

As the day continued Duo had been quite busy, even when Quatre and Hilde stopped by he had not much time to talk to them, thus in the end he couldn't even think much about Treize's proposition. And he didn't want to tell Quatre yet, because the boy was scared shitless when it concerned Treize. But he was sure even if he would forget Treize would find a way to corner him.

**To be continued…**

**Authors note:** This chapter has became way longer than I ever anticipated o.o And I have so much more in store for this story. This is my little baby, together with "Black death" another story of mine, but it's an gundam story with an Ooc as the main character so not sure if I will ever post it on here . If I don't post it here, you might be able to find it on my Livejournal someday. Also my other stories are progressing just nicely, I'm worried that everything is going too good and that I'll be brain-dead by the time I want to start the advent thing.  
With my songfic compile I had the shock of my life since karina001 reviewed, I was like o.o OMG, I get reviewed by someone who's stories I read o,,o So...  
Please review, flame or whatever you call it what you do (v.o)

Please visit my Livejournal sometime, just click on homepage on my profile, especially writers, since I've written a piece about writing and I am wondering how you do things when you write a fanfic.

Okay since my regular icons somehow don't work on fanfiction I changed them sligtly, I'll add more as I change more that I use:

Wink: (v.o)


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **Not mine T_T**  
Rating: **K (atm but it will change as the story goes deeper)**  
Pairings: **6x2(main pairing), 4xH, others undecided as of yet (v.o)**  
Summary: **Duo is the Joker according to everybody's believe, Zechs sees beyond that facade, but knows that they both have secrets that are not easily told. Because nothing is what it seems… warnings: AU, unintended oc, probably, maybe and here and there some angst hehehe.

**Authors note: **Because my first chapter was a big success for me, well I mean, I loved my chapter, I doubt I should say that about my own chapter, I'm in no way apologizing for loving my own chapter XP. For the first time I'm trying to make the relationship go slow, especially with the lives they have lead or are leading. Well you know nothing about it as of yet, but I do. So I'm going to drop hints all over the place, but I want every character developed in this story. This also means I will dive deeper into Sally, Quatre, Heero, Hilde, Treize and all the others yet to come. So probably not in this chapter but in the further chapter you will learn slowly more about the others. Some actions and some bits and pieces will seem pointless to you in the beginning, but might become more clear as I further my story. So have fun (v.o)

**Talking: **"Blablabla"**  
Thinking: **'Blablabla'

**Nothing is what it seems - Chapter 2**

Duo woke up with a startle, he had nightmares, cold sweat was dripping from his head and he could feel the damp on the back of his neck and down on his back. Sometimes his nightmares were worse than other nights where he had no nightmares, but from time to time they were bound to come back and hunt him down. His ghosts were whispering in the shadows of the night. Duo turned on the light, it was still night. He was sure he couldn't sleep until his emotions had calmed down, so he got a book and started reading. Reading had always been his escape, when he was reading he could be someone else and live their dreams, hopes and fears. That was probably why he had chosen for a literature study instead of something else, because through books he could lead a life he wanted to live.

The alarm clock was ringing and Duo cursed at the alarm clock as he got out of bed to turn off the alarm.

"Stupid alarm." Duo muttered as he walked to the bathroom. Duo took out the tie in his hair so he could unbraid his hair. After that he undressed so he could take a shower. The warm water that caressed his body felt good to him. He felt his worries and fears go down the drain. He still hadn't made up his mind about whether he would write for the schools newspaper, he still needed more information from Treize about what it meant.

Duo got his bag and left the apartment as he was standing in the elevator he heard someone yell, "Please hold the elevator." A clearly groggy Zechs got in the elevator.

"Good morning Zechs." Duo grinned.

"What are you so happy about this early in the morning." Grumbled Zechs.

"Ya know it's a new day and all that shit." Duo patted Zechs on the back while laughing, "what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Why are you all groggy in the morning?"

"Ah, I was working on something and didn't fall asleep until early this morning." Answered Zechs as he started to fix his long blond hair, he didn't added that he fell asleep on his desk.

"I know how that feels." Said Duo as he started thinking about the book he had been reading, it had been so very hard for him to put it away.

"So on your way to university?" asked Zechs and Duo got pulled out of his musings.

"Yeah, I have classes today."

"And have you thought about Treize's proposition?" asked Zechs carefully.

"Yes and no, not sure what I'm going to do about that." Said Duo while giving Zechs a apologetic smile.

"Treize isn't that bad, I know there are a lot of rumors about him, but…" started Zechs.

"You two must be good friends." Said Duo cutting of whatever Zechs was going to tell.

"Yes, most people don't get him, well even I don't get him all the time, but he strives to make people be the best they can be." Told Zechs.

"Even you?" Wondered Duo.

Zechs chuckled but didn't gave an answer this left Duo to wonder.

XxX

"Duo, what did you think?" Duo snaps up when he hears the sentence directed at him.

"Well, I think not just the main characters are interesting, the killers role is very interesting too." Says Duo.

"Why would you say that?"

"I think he means that the killer is a victim which makes it interesting." Says someone else.

"No that isn't what I meant. I meant to say, half way in the book you have no sympathy for the killer, but on the end you know why she did what she did and suddenly you sympathize with this woman who is still a killer. That part is very well written, it even makes you think Scarpetta is unreasonable about not feeling sorry for her." Told Duo, "A killer is still a killer no matter what she's been through."

"That's a good point of view." Said the professor.

Duo tuned out the rest of the course while began to wonder, 'People easily sympathize with people who have been through a great deal, but in the end if you aren't able to deal with what you've been through then you will be helpless.' This book had brought back some unwanted memories and some things he didn't want to deal with.

'DIS huh? Wouldn't it be great if he had that, that would mean a part of him would deal with everything. But he just closed himself of for everything.' Duo never meant that his thoughts were this harsh, of course having DIS wouldn't be good, but he couldn't help his thoughts.

"Well this is it for today, don't forget to hand in your assignments on time." The Professor dismissed the class. Duo didn't even know what the Professor had been talking about for the last half hour. They started about discussing how characters wouldn't look "flat". 'If I would be written, I think me playing with the end of my braid a lot would make me less flat. Also my past would make me give dept.' Duo got up from his seat flipping his braid over his shoulder and walked out of the lecture hall.

XxX

"Duo!" Quatre looked at Duo worried.

"I zoned out again didn't I?" asked Duo with a grin while Quatre just nodded, they were walking around the campus of the university and Quatre had been telling about classes, Hilde and his 29 sisters.

"Is there something you need to tell me?"Asked Quatre worried.

"Nah I was just thinking," sighed Duo, "Oh wait I do have to tell you something." It was as if a light bulb went on above his head.

"Huh?" Quatre looked confused, his friend had looked depressed before, but now he looked more enthusiastic.

"Just promise me you won't jump out of your skin, okay?" Duo looked pleading at his friend. Quatre looked at Duo suspiciously and reluctantly nodded.

"Well, Treize asked me to write for the schools newspaper." Duo looked at Quatre's reaction on the news.

"That's great, you are so fitted to write for the newspaper." Said Quatre excited.

"So you are not angry?" asked Duo worried.

"No way, why should I?"

"Well because of Treize…." Duo thought it was obvious.

"Yes, I have my suspicions about Treize and well who wouldn't, Treize is weird, he like a crossover between Ares and Cupid." Quatre seemed to wave weird thoughts away.

"Yeah just leave it to you to make weird Greek analogies." Grinned Duo as he saw a matchmaker from hell in his mind.

Quatre laughed too, "Well he is like half evil, but other than that he does look good." Duo raised an eyebrow at Quatre's remark but kept grinning.

"What are you two laughing about?" asked a voice suddenly, Duo and Quatre looked up and saw Heero standing there with his eyebrows raised.

"Hiya Hee-chan." Laughed Duo.

"Baka"

Quatre giggled, "Hello Heero." Heero just nodded at Quatre's welcome.

"So what are you two up to?" asked Heero again.

"Nothing much, just chillin and some killin." Duo's movie reference didn't go unnoticed, but Heero just rolled his eyes at it, while Duo and Quatre got back into a laughing fit.

Heero had been used to the two's weird thinking by now, but sometimes it still was irritating. Although at times he found himself laughing with them, but he wouldn't tell them that he thought they were funny at times.

"Oh you brought a friend, hello Wufei." Quatre smiled.

"What's up Wuffers?" Duo said as he snickered.

"It's Wufei, you braided fool." The Chinese man behind Heero said.

"Wu-man it is." Duo grinned as he saw that Wufei's face grew irritated.

"Wufei!"

"who fei?"

"WUFEI!" yelled Wufei as his face got red from frustration. The three other men laughed at Wufei's frustration.

"okay okay, I was just jokin with ya." Said Duo as he patted Wufei on the back.

"Didn't you want to ask Duo something?" asked Heero between snickers.

"Oh yeah, last time you said you could help me get a job." Said Wufei his frustration entirely forgotten.

"You're interested?" asked Duo dumbfounded, he had suggested it a few weeks back but was pretty sure Wufei would never take his offer.

"I wouldn't ask if I wasn't, idiot." Said Wufei as he lightly smacked the back of Duo's head with his hand.

"Oi." Said Duo as he rubbed the back of his head and got a small paper out of his pocket. "Call this number, and say you are calling for a job, be sure to mention my name. Else she'll never let you work for her." Duo handed the paper to Wufei.

Duo didn't mean to sound Sally that harsh, but Sally could be one scary woman if she wanted to.

"Thanks man." Said Wufei.

"Don't mention it." Said Duo waving his thanks away.

"So what are going to do tonight?" asked Quatre.

"Studying." Sighed Heero.

"Why the big sigh?" asked Wufei.

"I fail to understand a certain problem." Sighed Heero, Quatre stared at Heero. Heero was known as somewhat inhuman since he can do everything, him failing to understand a certain problem is a big thing. "Duo is Howard in the city?"

"Yeah, I think he came back somewhere this week." Told Duo. Howard is Duo's uncle that has an degree in engineering.

Then I'm going to visit him, you want to join me?" asked Heero.

"Yeah, I haven't seen the old geezer for a while now." Grinned Duo.

"Sorry to disturb you." Said a voice suddenly behind Duo making him jump around.

"Damn Treize, will you stop scaring the living daylight out of people." Duo half yelled at Treize making him chuckle.

"What can we do for you Treize?" asked Wufei.

"Ah, I have some urgent business to discuss with mister Maxwell." Said Treize, Wufei pulled up his eyebrows but didn't say anything.

"Oh, uhm sure." Said Duo.

"What about Howard?" asked Heero.

"I'm sorry Heero, could you go alone, I'll visit some other time." Said Duo as he made a apologizing gesture.

"Are you coming Duo?" asked Treize.

"Yeah yeah." Said Duo, "Sorry guys I'll see ya tomorrow." Duo followed Treize who was already walking away.

"Will he be okay?" wondered Wufei, Heero looked at Wufei questioningly.

"Yeah he will, he's Duo after all." Grinned Quatre as if Duo being Duo explained everything.

XxX

Even though Treize was normally a nice guy, but still a bit weird and always with a motive. Duo still had felt a bit weird when they entered the teachers faculty when nobody was there.

"So?" asked Treize as they had entered the teachers faculty.

"So what?" wondered Duo.

Treize sighed, "Have you made up your mind about if you want to write for the schools newspaper?"

"No I haven't decided yet, but that's mostly because I have no idea what you expect from me." Told Duo.

"Oh, I didn't explain the details?" Treize chuckled, it was so in character for him to only tell half about what he wanted someone to do that he actually forgot to tell Duo everything.

"No you didn't." accused Duo.

"Well the truth is that the newspaper has a decent fan base, also a lot of former students and former members of the university had an subscription to the newspaper. I want you to interview former members and students from the university that have anything to do with literature as well as write reviews on books that have been written by them." Explained Treize.

"How does that work?" asked Duo interested.

"Well you'll get the assignment from me or the editor in chief and you'll have to make the contact with the person in question." Said Treize knowing that Duo was already dangling on his hook.

"I don't know if I'm a good enough writer to do that." Said Duo, even though he loved books, he wasn't that sure if he could actually write something himself.

"I'm not asking you to write a book, just articles on other their books." Said Treize.

"Why me?" asked Duo eying Treize suspiciously.

"Professor Noventa commented on your essays and since it's rare for him to give comments about anyone's essays let alone voice those comments out loud, that alone was enough to make me interested." Treize saw doubt cloud Duo's face. "Of course I also read your essay about the tension between despair and humor throughout Philip Larkin's work."

"You did?" Duo was amazed, it was true that Professor Noventa had commented on his work, he even had used it as an example in one of his lectures. Suddenly the doubt that seemed to cloud Duo's face had disappeared easily.

"So will you do it?" asked Treize.

"Yes, it sounds interesting enough." Smiled Duo, "But how is it that you can even offer me an job at the schools newspaper?"

"Well I know the editor in chief." Admitted Treize as he smiled slightly, "but here is your assignment." Duo got his assignment pushed into his hands. Before Duo knows it he's already out of the teachers faculty. Duo felt a bit fooled because it felt that Treize already had known that Duo would have accepted.

XxX

On his way home Duo had been reading the assignment, he guessed it would be easy enough. He already read the books by the person in question.

"Duo." The voice made Duo look up from his paper, "Hey Zechs."

"On your way home?" asked Zechs while he started to walk next to Duo.

"Yes." Said Duo as he put his assignment in his bag.

"You accepted Treize's proposal?" asked Zechs nodding towards the assignment Duo was putting in his bag.

"Yeah, he made it sound like something you can't refuse." Grinned Duo.

"Yes, he knows how to push the right buttons." Smiled Zechs, somehow Duo had decided he liked the way Zechs smiled. His smiles were mostly thoughtful, not full blown smiles as he gave them himself.

"So you finished late." Stated Duo.

"Yes, I needed reference books and well lately I've been helping Professor J with his lectures." Explained Zechs.

"You mean like an assistant Professor?" asked Duo.

"Yes sort of, since I haven't concluded my master yet I would be called an undergraduate assistant." Explained Zechs. "You want to get something to drink." Zechs pointed at the bar across the street.

"Sure." Duo actually enjoyed talking to Zechs and he was at the point he wanted to know more about Zechs.

They each ordered drinks when they found a place to sit in the bar, the bar wasn't that busy at the moment, but that wasn't so strange since it was an week day.

"So do you actually get paid for being the professors slave?" Duo grinned as Zechs pulled up his eyebrows.

"No I get credit hours for being a 'slave', as you put it." Explained Zechs, "I could have chosen to get payed, but I chose to get credit hours."

"Why."

"Because it's easier to conclude my studies." Said Zechs.

"oh."

"I guess if you would be asked you would have taken the payment?" asked Zechs.

"Well yes, who wouldn't." grinned Duo.

Zechs started to explain what the credits were used for and Duo couldn't help to notice that Zechs really was beautiful. It wasn't a first that he was attracted to someone, but he couldn't shake the feeling of Zechs. Mostly he felt a purely physical reaction, but this one of the few times he actually liked to get the know the person. Even though Duo was gay he wasn't that blatant about that, but he knew Zechs was straight this did made things a bit difficult. He wouldn't push Zechs into a corner, or at least he hoped he wouldn't.

After drinks each of them went home, they both had assignments and stuff to finish for tomorrow.

XxX

'If you see him standing there you would say it was a normal adult, but when you see him play with those toy cars it's hard to believe that he is an adult.' Duo stared through a window, the man playing with the toy cars couldn't see him, it was better that way according to Duo. 'If he would see me he would get confused, it already happened once.' Duo shuddered lightly. 'I wish we could go back into time, maybe it would have gone differently.' Duo had watched this man many times and even though he felt obligated to go, sometimes he wished he could just forget and move on.

"Ah you are here." Said a voice when the door opened.

"Doctor, how is he?" Duo stood up as the doctor entered the room.

"He is getting there, some days are rough and other days it's like he's back." Said the doctor.

"Oh." Said Duo, 'He's gotten thinner.' "Does he eat enough?"

"Yes, we make sure he gets his nutritions." Said the doctor.

"Okay I guess that is good then." Said Duo.

"How are you doing?" asked the Doctor.

"I'm fine." Said Duo waving the question away.

"Are you having nightmares?" asked the doctor.

"Look Doc, I'm not here to be analyzed." Duo felt the anger boiling in the pit of his stomach.

"I'm sorry Duo, but you are refusing to go and see your brother, I just want to know why. If you don't talk I can't help him to the best of my abilities either." Said the Doctor.

"That is my concern Doc, you just do the best you can." With that Duo walked out of the room. His face was dark and he wanted to forget, he felt a migraine coming. He didn't want to deal with this.

"Duo really you should go and visit your brother sometime, he's been asking about you." Said the doc at last, Duo stopped in his tracks and turned around.

"I can't, don't ask this of me." the Doctor had seen a glimpse of the broken Duo as he said it.

**To be continued… **

**Autors note:** Yay another chapter finished, it's a bit shorter than the first chapter but I love itXD. This chapter gives you a lot of new unanswered questions hehehehe. The plot for the next chapter has already been burning in my mind, but it seems I'm unable to write when I have my days off, since now I have about one hour left before I have to go to work while I just had three days off. I could have written three chapters in those days if I would just concentrate on it. Oh well, this is an lovely chapter in my eyes. I have absolutely no idea if everything I write is correct, but just go with the flow (v.o)  
So review, flame or whatever you call it that you do XD

Extra notes: My plan was to update every single day in december, but no way I'm gonna make it, since I just don't have enough material to do so T.T Anyway I will update every other day. All my stories get at least one update this month, some more then others, it will depend on where my inspiration is hehehe ^_^


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **Not mine T_T**  
Rating: **K+ (atm but it will change as the story goes deeper)**  
Pairings: **6x2(main pairing), 4xH, others undecided as of yet (v.o)**  
Summary: **Duo is the Joker according to everybody's believe, Zechs sees beyond that facade, but knows that they both have secrets that are not easily told. Because nothing is what it seems… warnings: AU, unintended oc, probably, maybe.

**Authors note: **Okay I want to say this I have no literary background what so ever, please keep this in mind when you read this story, forgive me my grammar mistakes XP. As this story progresses I will conduct research from what I need to know. Also the books I tend to use are books I have either read myself or they will be from plots I have in my head for ages. If you wonder about books I use as reference you can always ask, but not all books will exist since some are made up. Of course if you know more about literary subjects you are welcome to give me ideas and stuff. Also I'm going to take some liberties with some characters, since I'm interested to see how they would look like that ._.

More notes are below the chapter(since I write these notes before the chapter is even half way), so have fun with the new chapter (v.o)

Special thanks to karina001 since you have been reviewing every chapter of mine and even other stories(gundam wing) I've written. I'm very grateful, because even though I am writing this story mostly for myself it's no fun if nobody likes it [hugs].  
Also thanks to Quiet Man Cometh who's review made me feel like there is someone who takes reviewing very seriously, pointing out several things out to me I failed to notice or things I mixed up hehehe. I can't promise to never do it again, but well then you have at least things to point out XP

Also many thanx to the others that took the time to review =^.^=

**Nothing is what it seems – Part 3**

Duo got to hand it to Treize, he liked writing the articles more than he thought he would. Duo was on his way to the office of the newspaper to hand in his article. The woman he had to contact for the article had mostly written books within the psychological thriller genre, which was strange since this woman had no psychology background what so ever. Duo had always thought that psychological thrillers were not that much different from regular thrillers, although after speaking to this woman he felt like a light bulb had went on and he had found a new perspective on this genre as well as new appreciation for this sub-genre. The woman would release a new book soon and Duo was one of the first who got to hear multiple things about the book, like the plotline and the characters. Duo was intrigued right away when he heard about the plotline. The story will mainly revolve around a gay man coming to terms his sexuality while he's happily married to a woman, several different people that are acquainted to him die and he is the suspect in those deaths. Duo even got to read a few pieces that gave some feel for the main character.

_I make love to her, I can make love to her and I love her, then why doesn't it feel right? Why do I feel like I am deceiving her, while I am not even cheating on her. Is it all because….No it's the right thing to do, I love her, how can I leave her._

"_Go away Nikki, everybody around me dies." The blanket wrapped around me doesn't give me the warmth I need, but I haven't felt warm since I got in this mess.  
"It doesn't matter, all I need is you." Her voice seems so far to reach for me, I love her, don't I? "Raven let me in, let me into that mind of yours." I'm too tired to resist her voice, her voice has always been my voice of reason._

The small parts that were given to him was enough to make him go and buy the book, but when she saw him so intrigued she gave him a signed early copy. Still he was only able to use the small parts in the interview, but he didn't mind. And while the book was burning on the bookshelf he wouldn't touch it till it actually came out.

"Excuse me." Said Duo as he knocked on the door of the newspapers office, that's what it said on the door. The inside of the office was more crowded than he had expected it to be. On the outside it had looked pretty quiet, the inside was nothing like the outside had predicted. People were sitting behind different computers, talking to each other some were on the phone. Duo walked up to someone who was typing on his keyboard.

"Excuse me, where can I find the editor in chief?" asked Duo the man that was engrossed with his typing. The man didn't even react slightly.

"Earth to whatever your name is." Said Duo as he lightly touched the shoulder of the man.

"What!" the man abruptly stopped typing and turned around.

"The editor in chief?"

"Through that door." The man pointed into a direction where a door was and turned back to his work. Duo felt stupid after he got closer to the door, since there was an sign that said editor in chief.

Duo knocked on the door. "Yes come in." was the answer he got and slowly opened the door. Stacks of papers lay on the desk where a young man was sitting. He had brown hair, the front was in long bang that covered a part of his face as he was reading something.

"Wrong, wrong, all wrong." The man said as he seemed to cross sentences away with his pencil, the way the man had said it made Duo clutch his hands around the article and run away. The man put the papers away on a different stack. As he looked up Duo saw through his glasses that he had green eyes.

"'Who are you?" asked the man as he took off his glasses.

"Duo, Duo Maxwell." Said Duo startled.

"Oh right, you are the kid with the gift." Said the man, the way he had said it made feel Duo unworthy. "My name is Trowa Barton, so do you have anything for me?" Duo nodded dumbfounded and handed over his article.

"Ah, hm, this is your first time right?" Trowa asked with his eyes on the paper.

"Yes, but don't you need your glasses for reading?" wondered Duo since Trowa still held his glasses in his hand.

Trowa looked up and smiled slightly, "I don't use glasses because I can't read without them, I use them to make the strain on my eyes less since I use the computer almost the entire day."

"Oh." Duo didn't know what to say about it really, he didn't expect such an long and elaborate explanation.

"Well it's written well for a first try." Said Trowa as he put the interview on a stack of papers.

"And now?" wondered Duo.

"Now I will edit it and I will send you a copy of the edited article as well as some pointers to keep in mind with your following article." Said Trowa.

"So I get to write another article?" Duo felt like dancing and jumping but restrained himself for the sake of the editor in chief, even though he doubted that Trowa would judge him so easily.

"Yes, Treize really has a knack for putting people at the right places. He was right about everything." Smiled Trowa. Before Duo could ask anything about his comment two people came in while in a argument, he guessed this was the best time to make his escape. Duo have found Trowa's smile to be somewhat unsettling, but wasn't bothered enough by it to wonder about it for long.

XxX

"We have been discussing the function of a unreliable narrator for a while now and whether the use of a unreliable narrator is always the best for certain literature. Now I want you to write a short story with an unreliable narrator in it, the story doesn't have to be longer than 5000 words but over the 1000 words. It doesn't matter whether the narrator is a first-person's perspective or a third-person's perspective, just make sure it's original and creative." Said the Professor.

"Is there a limitation to genres?" asked someone.

"No it's a creative writing assignment, the only limitation is that it won't go over the 5000 words and that a unreliable narrator is telling the story." Explained the professor, "Well that's all for this week, next week I expect you to hand in this assignment. We will be discussing the assignment and see if anyone is brave enough to read their story." The chuckle was heard throughout the class and Duo knew for sure that his professor was enjoying their uneasiness.

"See you all next week." Said the professor at last and Duo gathered his stuff and made his way out of the room.

Duo enjoyed his professors assignments even though he had never enough guts to actually read his creative writing assignments out loud. This course was an elective course, it isn't required to take this course as an literature student, but he found it very interesting and there were things that were discussed there that had something to do with literature.

XxX

"Oh woman, you clearly don't know what you're talking about, the man is a genius." Wufei said.

"No he's not, he's a ego-tripping bastard. Everything he says has already been said by others and just because his enormous ego is blocking his view is why he doesn't see it." Sally had her hands in her sides, Duo could easily see that she was in no way backing down towards Wufei.

Everytime the last week that Both Duo and Wufei had worked Sally and Wufei had been bantering about all sorts of stuff, at times he wondered why Sally kept him around. But he also wondered why Wufei put up with the verbal fights. At other times he wondered if something else was the reason why they talked to each other like that.

"Could I get a cup of coffee?" asked an elderly man.

"Of course James, for our best customer we always have a cup of coffee." Said Duo as he made a coffee for the man in question.

As Duo put the coffee in front of James he said, "I see they are at it again, what is it about this time?"

"Some research essay that just has been released." Explained Duo, he hadn't followed their entire conversation to know everything.

"Well it's good to see Sally so alive again, I often worried that taken over this business was not the best thing for her." James said.

"Alive huh? That's one way of putting it." Muttered Duo.

"You don't think so?" asked James.

"Well, she is more verbal now a days, but I'm not sure if it's a good thing." Explained Duo.

"What is a good thing?" asked Sally making Duo jump.

"What special dessert will we have next week." Duo pathetically avoided the subject.

"Not sure yet, I think we will go with something from chocolate since that always seems to do well." Said Sally.

'True she is more alive than before, but in truth I'm not sure if Wufei is the cause of this. Maybe it's just the change of weather. I remember her having arguments all the time with her husband too, but somehow the arguments with Wufei feel different than those. Like she genuinely dislikes Wufei. I'm really over thinking this stuff.' Duo's thoughts weren't entirely off, but some part of it was entirely off.

XxX

"I leave cleaning to you two." Said Sally as she went upstairs to where she lived.

Duo started to put the chairs upside down on the tables, "say Duo, can I ask something?"

"Ask away Wufei." Said Duo as he stopped for a moment to look at Wufei.

"You know that Sally is a Doctor right?" asked Wufei.

"Yeah, from what I know she was even good at it too." Chuckled Duo, he had always blamed it on the Doctor part that she was so good with a knife. Duo once again went on with the chairs.

"Do you know why she quit being one?" Wufei hated prying into other people's business but he wanted to know.

"Her husband, the owner of this café, died and she took over leaving her being a Doctor behind her." Said Duo, "But I'm not sure if that's the entire truth, but if you want to know you should ask her."

"Well If I do that she'll probably hunt me down with a knife." Grimaced Wufei.

"She's not that bad, at least the only one I've seen her want to hunt down is you, not sure though what you have done wrong. But it makes me wonder why you want to work here." Said Duo.

"Well that's…" started Wufei.

"You don't have to say anything if you don't want to." Said Duo, even though he likes to tease Wufei he didn't want to make Wufei feel obligated to tell him anything.

"Oh, thank you." Said Wufei not sure what this side of Duo brought on.

"So Wufei, do you have a girlfriend?" asked Duo, Wufei looked as if he just choked into something.

"What?" sputtered Wufei.

"You know the question isn't that strange. You're 21 right like me?" grinned Duo.

"Yes I am, but why the question?" wondered Wufei.

"No real reason, just wondering." Duo wondered now even more with such an reaction.

"Well what about you?" retorted Wufei.

"You know that I'm gay, you are just avoiding my question." Said Duo.

"But actually I am interested in whether you are with Treize now?" asked Wufei.

"Me with Treize…." After that sentence Duo started to laugh. "That's a good joke, Wu-man."

"No joke, well you two seemed to know each other." Said Wufei, even though he had a scowl on his face because of the name Duo used.

"Nah Treize and me, that wouldn't work. I would get eaten alive." Said Duo between laughs.

"Not really, Quatre would get eaten alive, I think you would fare pretty okay." Said Wufei.

"Really now?" said Duo, "I know Treize somewhat because of Quatre, same circles and all that stuff and because Zechs is friends with him."

"You know Zechs?"

"Yes he's my neighbor." Said Duo.

"Does Zechs and Treize actually know that you are gay?" asked Wufei.

"Not that I know of, at least I never told them, although I suspect Treize to know it." Said Duo.

"Why haven't you told Zechs?" asked Wufei.

"Never really came up and it's not something you just go out and say in a normal conversation.' Oh by the way Zechs I'm gay' or something like that." Said Duo pathetically.

"But you are interested in him right?" asked Wufei.

"Yeah, but he's straight if you haven't noticed." Pointed Duo out.

"Yes he is, I was just wondering if you realized it." Said Wufei.

Wufei was only saying it because it could hurt Duo. Wufei and Duo had known each other for a long time, but their friendship never really passed beyond the superficial things. If they would have had time to get to know each other more then they probably would have been good friends, maybe even the best of friends. But both of them had a hard time opening up to people which made them stand further from their friends than needed.

Both of them continued cleaning while making small talk, but the question burned in the back of his mind, why hadn't he told Zechs about his sexual preference? Was it all because he didn't want to scare Zechs off or was it more like self protection? He wasn't sure which of the two it was.

XxX

'Ah man, in the end Wufei entirely avoided my question about whether he had a girlfriend or not.' "Damn that Wufei." Grumbled Duo.

"Duo?" Duo turned around as he heard a voice.

"Heya Zechs, what are you doing out so late?" asked Duo as he saw the blond Adonis approaching. He didn't actually had to turn to see that it was Zechs, lately he seemed to recognize his voice anywhere. Also they had been running into each other more and more as of late, Duo wasn't complaining in the least.

"I just had some drinks with some friends, but you are out late too, shouldn't you be buried under a pile of books." Joked Zechs.

"Hah hah Zechs, I do more things than read." Said Duo as he stuck out his tongue, startled by his own childish reaction he put his tongue back in his mouth while clapping his hands over his mouth. The action made Zechs laugh.

"You probably worked late right?" said Zechs in a more serious tone.

"Yep, Wu-man and me had a few drinks afterwards." Explained Duo.

"who is Wu-man?" asked Zechs.

"Oh right, you know him as Wufei." Said Duo.

"Oh yes, I didn't know you knew him." Said Zechs.

"Yeah Wufei and I have known each other for a while, but we aren't that good of friends though, but a while ago he started to work where I work." Explained Duo.

"Wufei and working, do his parents approve?" asked Zechs amazed.

"Wufei's parents?" Duo raised his eyebrows.

"I said too much." Said Zechs as he saw that Duo clearly didn't know, "You want to come in for a drink?"

"Sure." Said Duo he hadn't noticed that they had reached the apartment already.

Duo had never been into Zechs apartment and the difference completely amazed him. It wasn't just bigger than his, also everything was so tidy that Duo had began to doubt that they had anything in common.

"You want a beer right?" asked Zechs.

"Yeah that would be nice." Said Duo as he sat down on the couch.

"oh right I had been meaning to ask you." Started Zechs and he handed Duo a beer while Duo had questioning eyes, "A few days ago I saw you and said hi, but you completely went past me."

"Oh? Where was that?" Duo wasn't one to ignore people and especially not Zechs.

"I think you came from the Peacecraft Asylum." Said Zechs.

"Oh, I must have been deep in thought." Duo nearly had a heart attack when Zechs mentioned that he had seen him in the Peacecraft Asylum. 'It would be easier to tell him I'm gay then tell him; hi I'm Duo and my brother is in the loony bin. I would scare him off completely.'

"I guess you were, well it's not important." Said Zechs letting the subject go, he was interested in Duo as a person but he clearly saw that he didn't want to talk about this subject. He wasn't even sure why he was interested in Duo as a person, he blamed it on the contradicting personalities from the inside and outside and even the Duo he had seen at the Peacecraft Asylum. Some things just didn't add up.

"Your apartment and my apartment are very much different." Chuckled Duo.

"Are they?" asked Zechs looking around his own apartment.

"Yes, for one yours actually looks clean and neat." Said Duo.

"But well in yours you can actually see that someone is living there, that's not a bad thing." Said Zechs.

Thanks for the compliment." Chuckled Duo.

"It's true, my apartment doesn't really change whether I'm here or not. Yours in the contrary fits you and your personality. You could say that my apartment lacks personality." Explained Zechs, he knew the only room that had any personality was his study room.

"Nah no personality is also a personality, but I guess the interior has been done by a female, correct me if I'm wrong though." Said Duo, he had noticed small things on cabinets which rarely would have been chosen by a male. Also the painting that hangs above the couch clearly gives a feeling that a female's hand must have been the one choosing it, maybe the female was even the one who had painted it in the first place.

"True, my best friend Noin has decorated it, she also painted that." Said Zechs, as he pointed to the painting Duo chuckled.

"I pretty much thought that was the case, that's why your apartment doesn't show much of your personality."

"I guess so, but well Noin does know pretty much what I like and don't like though." Explained Zechs.

"You two must be close." Duo had a feeling of déjà vu when the words left his mouth.

"Yes, we grew up together, I think out of all my friends she knows me best." Said Zechs.

The rest of the night passed by as if it was nothing, they had been talking for long and when one subject was over they easily switched to a different subject.

XxX

The next day Duo felt groggy, he hadn't had that much to drink the previous night, but he hadn't been able to sleep much. Duo grumbled as his phone rang, he had been cozy on his couch with a book.

"Yeah Maxwell here." Said Duo.

"Oh great that you pick up, Trowa here." Duo's eyes shot open when he heard the name.

"Oh hey Trowa, what are you calling for?" Duo asked

"Well I forgot to give you your new assignments." Said Trowa.

"Assignments?" 'Multiple assignments, as in more than one?' wondered Duo.

"Yeah two of them, I send them on your email."

"Okay just a sec, let me get out my laptop." Duo opened his laptop that was on his desk.

"Also I send you an copy of the edited version of your article." Said Trowa and Duo could hear Trowa type on his computer.

"Thanks." Responded Duo, he opened his mail and saw two different mails, both from Trowa. Duo considered for a moment if he would open the one with his edited article first but then decided against it.

"The first assignment is the one for the next issue. It might be a bit boring, it's a doctor that graduated about twenty years ago, he has written a book on dieting. It has been a best-seller for a while now, so we should get an feature about him before it cools down." Chuckled Trowa. Duo grimaced by the idea of interviewing someone who makes money on a diet book and he probably should do enough research about dieting before writing the article.

"Yeah and the second?" asked Duo.

"Well it's somewhat of a long term assignment. You have heard about Milliardo right?"

"Yes, he's a hot writer, somehow all the books under his name have sold like it's the best thing ever written."

"Well I learned from an source that he is currently a student at our university." Duo chocked in his coffee that he had just taken a sip from.

"You're kidding right?"

"No very serious, well the we want a interview with him and even though he wants to keep his identity a secret I thought you could try to make contact to him and do a chat session or something so you can make an interview from that. Just use your imagination, it's an long term assignment so don't worry about hurrying to finish it." Explained Trowa, Duo just listened with open mouth. "Duo, you heard me?"

"Yeah I heard ya."

"Okay that's about it, good luck and I will see you next week. If you have any questions just mail me." Said Trowa and with that Trowa hang up the phone.

Duo wondered whether Trowa knows himself who Milliardo is and if not he was pretty sure that Treize would know it. 'Treize seems to know everything going on at the university, I doubt anything slips his attention.' Duo let the thought wander through his mind for a moment before dismissing it, it didn't matter to him who or what Milliardo is, the only thing that did matter was that he would had to get an interview with it.

Suddenly his eye is drawn to the second assignment, on the second page is a email address. Duo wonders if it's the same email address as published on the website and goes online to look. To his disappointment those are the same, he wished that they were different, because then he might have been closer to who Milliardo is, not that he wants to know or anything.

Again Duo's phone rings, "Yeah Maxwell here."

"Duo?"

"Hey buddy, it feels like I haven't spoken to you in ages."

"Hn."

"I have told you have to say more on the phone, I can't read your expressions from here. But how are you doing?" Chuckled Duo.

"Yes we haven't spoken in ages and I'm fine."

"Good to know, so what ya calling for?"

"Are you still up for drinks tonight?" it was more a grumble than anything else.

"Sure thing."

"Good, then I'll give Quatre and Wufei a call, make sure you aren't late." Said Heero deadpanned.

"When am I ever late?" said Duo innocent.

"Bye Duo." With that the connection was broken.

"Jeesh that Heero." Said Duo to his phone, it was a known fact that Duo sometimes tended to get too engrossed with his books, thus forgetting any appointment he had.

XxX

The evening had been uneventful with the exception of a lot of liquor. It had been a long time ago that Duo had enjoyed such a boys night out, but he had to admit he had gone far over his own limit with drinking. As he stumbled up the stairs, when he was drunk he would never use the elevator he didn't know why.

Duo fumbled with his key to get it in the lock. "Why do they make those holes sho small…" Duo didn't notice that someone approached him from behind.

"Is everything okay?" Duo jumped at that sentence causing him to tumble backwards. A strong hand catch his arm pulling him to the front causing a new tumble but into the other person. Duo found himself sprawled over the person that talked to him.

"Duo, you okay." Duo's mind registered the words and looked into a pair of blue eyes.

"Hiya Zechsy." Duo's words slurred somewhat while he showed a trademark grin.

"You at least know who I am." Sighed Zechs.

"You have to many wrinkles." Pointed Duo out as his hand reached out to the wrinkles on Zechs his forehead.

"Duo?" Zechs wasn't sure what he should do, Duo came far too close for comfort.

"Smiling suits you better." Grinned Duo as if he thought of something funny, Duo didn't noticed that his hand was now cupping Zechs face. Duo's eyes had fixed on Zechs lips, he wanted to feel what those lips felt like.

"Duo I think…" Zechs wanted to get Duo off, but before he could complete his sentence since Duo's lips covered his own. It was a sloppy kiss, but Zechs couldn't help but to close his eyes in the action.

It took a while for Zechs to recollect his mind after the kiss, "Duo?" Zechs had opened his eyes and got no reaction from Duo.

He looked at the young man who had fallen asleep on top of him. "He's asleep." Stated Zechs with wide eyes not sure how to handle this. 'What now?', Zechs felt seriously confused. 'Why had Duo kissed me, why did I close my eyes?' those where only a few of the questions twirling through his mind.

**To be continued…**

**Authors note:** WOOOOTT they kissed, well to be precisely Duo kissed him. But Zechs didn't fight him hehehehe. You know I waited like forever to write the kiss scene, I was already halfway into the next chapter without writing out the kiss hehehe. And even now I'm not sure if everything turned out alright. But my mind is already working on the aftermath of that kiss, because OMG you know how many various ways I can go about this O.O Yay….I needed this kiss to make things a bit more interesting hehehe well at least to make them go where I want them (v.o)

Well anyway some other news, this chapter is the longest I've written so far hehehe and well I told you I would write also about the other characters. And I will still do this, but I made the choice to give them separate chapters, not all the chapters will be in sync with the main story this one. I came to this choice when reading the Junjo romantica manga for the thousand time. Well the side story I will actually do is:  
Nothing is what is seems: Bound to chains  
This story will mostly follow Wufei and Sally and well without revealing too much, yes it is a straight couple story. Whether you like it or not, you don't need to read it.  
Nothing is what it seems: Hiding behind lies  
This story will revolve around Quatre and his relationship with Hilde. It will show how far the truth can be from reality.

I will update these side stories into this main story, why? Well because even if you dislike the pairing it's still a part of the Nothing is what it seems saga. I'm not sure if this ever has been done in fanfiction or if it will work, the side story chapters will be shorter but more intense. But it will show that even friends have secrets for each other, since it doesn't matter how good you think to know each other, if someone doesn't want you to know something then you will never know. Both these pairings jumped out at the instant I started this story. Maybe others will be inserted later on, but I think three will do just fine for now.


End file.
